Higher cancer survival rate in Spain than in the UK

CANCER sufferers are less likely to die if they are treated in Spain than in the UK, reveal recent statistics that find Britain lagging behind western Europe.

The cancer survival rate in Spain is almost 53% compared to 50% in the UK.

Patients stand a far higher chance of survival in Sweden where the rate is 65%, followed by Belgium (60.5%), Austria (60%), Germany (59%) and Norway (58.5%).

Macmillan Cancer Support described the UK’s comparatively poor performance as ‘shameful’ as patients there are far less likely to survive five years than countries that spend similar amounts on health care.

Denmark was the only other ‘rich’ country that performed as badly as Britain, and also has an NHS-style system.

The study analysed 7.5 million patients across 29 countries in Europe.